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Green Economy in Policy and Practice

Nordregio News Issue 1, 2012

Photo: Karin Beate Nøsterud/norden.org

Green Issue of Nordregio News

This January Denmark took over the presidency of the EU and in line with their already established Global Green Growth Forum (3GF) launched Green Growth as one of the focal topics for the coming six months. It is stated in the priorities of the Danish Presidency that "in the context of the current economic difficulties new balanced measures related to energy, climate and the environment can contribute too much needed growth and employment in Europe. Green growth can be encouraged by integrating such efforts across a range of European policies". This issue of Nordregio News is dedicated to green growth and green economy from a mainly Nordic perspective, trying to understand these concepts, how they are implemented and the political side of the process.

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Responding to Crisis with Smart and Sustainable Investment 

By Ryan Weber

The Europe 2020 Strategy promotes smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, and pledges the development of a 'Resource Efficient Europe'. As a result of Europe's headline development strategy, European energy policy has been overhauled and Cohesion Policy is about to enter a new six-year funding period with an emphasis on the importance of climate change and the environment. Quickly responding, The Nordic Prime Ministers have tabbed green growth as a top priority for Nordic cooperation. So the question becomes, what will all of this mean for Europe on the ground? What about Nordic regions? And not least, how can green growth respond to current development challenges by simultaneously delivering growth and inclusiveness?

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Green Highway - a 450 km Nordic Co-operative Project

By Aslı Tepecik Diş

In northern Sweden and Norway, local and regional authorities are co-operating closely with companies and entrepreneurs to create a region where economic growth goes hand in hand with environmental development. They have established the world's first "green highway", stretching from Trondheim in Norway on the Atlantic Coast, via Östersund, to Sundsvall on the Baltic Sea, along the E6 and E14 motorways. The highway connects a region where green growth is given the highest priority.

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Can Iceland Become a Green Land?

By Salvör Jónsdóttir

Following the financial collapse in 2008, Icelandic society has undertaken a nationwide self-analysis. New types of debates and discussions, pertaining to both economic policy of the past and the future have been held in the media and the Parliament. However, one thing has not changed; Icelanders still like to present themselves, their country and their energy as clean and green. To continue this image, a proposal is pending in Parliament to further strengthen Iceland's green economy.

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